Wall systems defined by upright space-dividing panels are widely utilized in offices and the like to divide large open areas into smaller work spaces. Such panels, which may be of floor-to-ceiling height or of lesser height, are typically prefabricated employing a rigid ring-shaped frame surrounding a suitable core structure, with a thin flexible covering sheet positioned over the large exterior side surface of the panel and edge flaps of the covering sheet being wrapped around and secured to edge faces of the frame. The covering sheet usually constitutes a thin flexible fabric, vinyl or foil-like material, and defines the exposed side surface of the assembled wall panel.
In a typical wall panel of the aforementioned type, it is conventional to secure the covering sheet to the frame by inserting the cover sheet edge flaps into grooves or channels which extend lengthwise along the edge faces of the frame, with the flaps being held within the channels by an elongate retaining element, often referred to as a spline. The elongate retaining element is generally of paper or elastomeric material so that it can be compressed into the channel and wedgingly hold the edge flap in engagement therein. This construction is and has been widely used since it facilitates removal and replacement of the cover sheet when desired. This securement process, however, is difficult and labor intensive inasmuch as the spline is typically progressively inserted lengthwise along the channel by a manually manipulated tool which requires significant manual manipulation and introduces variations into the assembly process with respect to the overall quality of the securement and the tensioning of the cover sheet on the assembled wall panel.
An example of a known wall panel employing a construction similar to that described above is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,836, owned by the Assignee hereof.
While the above described technique has and continues to be successfully utilized in many situations, nevertheless it has been discovered that the technique of employing a spline-and-groove securing technique results in additional complications when dealing with newer types of fabric cover sheets currently in use, specifically cover sheets or fabric sheets which have a loose weave pattern and/or employ plastic fibers as such fabrics are more easily distorted and have a more slippery texture, whereby application of the fabric and the securement thereof using the spline technique induces additional problems with respect to either slippage of the fabric and/or distortion of the fabric during the assembly process. These slippage and/or distortion problems can significantly and adversely impact the overall visual and hence aesthetic appearance of the wall panel.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus, and related process, which facilitates and at least significantly automates the tensioning of a flexible cover sheet positioned over a large exterior side surface of a wall panel structure, and which effects securement of edge flaps associated with the cover sheet to the edge faces of the wall panel frame.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus, and process associated therewith, for permitting initial tensioning of the cover sheet by initially folding and wiping the edge flaps into pressed contact with edge surfaces of the frame to effect initial tensioning of the sheet, preferably followed by subsequent additional tensioning by engaging the cover sheet with sweeping blades in close proximity to the panel edges and then sweeping the blades outwardly toward the respective edges, followed by subsequent manipulation of wiping blades which folds the edge flaps upwardly to permit adhesive to be applied to the back sides thereof, after which the wiping blades wipe the edge flaps downwardly into contacting engagement with the edge surfaces of the frame to effect adhesive securement therewith. With this improved apparatus, and process, the edge flaps can be secured directly to a flat edge surface associated with the frame, or in an alternative arrangement a portion of the edge flap can be inserted into a groove associated with the frame edge face so as to provide a construction which permits field-replacement of the covering sheet and mounting of a new covering sheet and securement thereof in a conventional manner utilizing a spline insertable into the groove.
In the apparatus of the present invention, as aforementioned, there is provided an upwardly-facing working station for accommodating a horizontally-oriented wall panel structure thereon, which wall panel structure has a flexible covering sheet positioned to extend wholly over the upwardly-facing side surface of the wall panel structure and has flexible edge flaps which extend along each edge of the wall panel structure and protrude outwardly therefrom by a predetermined distance which is less than the thickness of the wall panel structure. The covering sheet is not attached to the upward-facing side surface of the wall panel structure to permit suitable movement of the covering sheet during tensioning. A cover attaching arrangement is movably supported above the working station, and includes a pair of flap wiping assemblies positioned above opposite side edges of the wall panel assembly. The wiping assemblies each include an elongate wiping blade, preferably of an elastomeric material, which when moved downwardly contacts the edge flap along the entire lengthwise extent of the wall panel edge so as to press the flap downwardly along the respective edge surface. The cover attaching arrangement also includes a pair of sweeping devices positioned in close proximity to the respective wiping assemblies and disposed over the working station in close proximity to the opposite edge faces of the wall panel structure. These sweeping devices each include a horizontally elongate sweep blade, preferably of an elastomeric material, which is moved downwardly into engagement with the upward-facing cover sheet close to and generally parallel with the adjacent edge face, and then is moved outwardly to a position generally at the edge surface to effect final tensioning and holding of the covering sheet. The wiping blades are then moved upwardly to deflect the edge flaps upwardly against a suitable support surface associated with the respective sweeping device, after which a suitable adhesive applicator, such as a spray device, applies a suitable adhesive to the exposed back side of the upwardly-deflected edge flap, and also applies adhesive to the exposed edge surface of the panel frame. Thereafter the wiping blades are disengaged from the edge flaps, whereupon the edge flaps fold or fall downwardly so as to hang adjacent the edge surfaces. The wiping blades are then moved downwardly and effects pressing engagement of the edge flaps into adhesive contact with the opposed facing surfaces on the edge frames of the wall panel structure. Thereafter the wiping and sweeping blades are disengaged from the fabric covering and returned to their initial positions to permit initiation of a further securement operation.
In the aforesaid operation, the edge frame of the wall panel structure can be provided with a conventional groove extending lengthwise along the edge face, and the edge flap can be sized to include suitable material for accommodation within the edge groove during the securement process. In such case the wiping assembly is provided with a tucking blade disposed in close proximity to the elastomeric wiping blade. The tucking blade is activated, after the wiping blade has wiped downwardly and adhesively contacted the edge flap against an opposed flat surface on the edge frame, so as to insert a lower free end portion of the edge flap into the groove. This groove preferably has adhesive on the surfaces thereof as applied during the adhesive application step, and this, coupled with the adhesive on the back side of the edge flap, cooperates to provide additional securement of the edge flap to the edge frame of the panel structure.
The apparatus and process of the present invention, as well as the aforementioned and other objects, purposes and advantages of this invention, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from the geometric center of the apparatus or panel, and designated parts thereof. The word “front” when used in reference to the wall panel will refer to the exterior side thereof which faces outwardly when the panel is mounted in its normal upright position, and the word “front” when used in reference to the apparatus will refer to the side of the machine which is used for inputting the wall panel structure to the working station, which side is designated by the arrow “IN” in FIG. 2. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar input.